A Mouse in the House?!
Sometimes, especially when the weather becomes chilly, mice decide to move in with you. And like any uninvited guest, you probably want to get rid of them as soon as possible. If you don’t want to hire an exterminator or buy those nasty mice traps, there are other, more humane ways to rid yourself of these unwanted visitors.
Mice are small rodents with a variety of
species, of which the most commonly known is the house mouse, the main
perpetrator of home infestations. These small, nocturnal mammals have
lived side by side with humans for thousands of years, taking advantage
of our pantries and warm dwellings.
Mice are also very common in scientific
experiments, as their genetic makeup and biological traits are similar
to those of humans, and are sometimes even kept as pets. The problem
arises when wild mice, that carry parasites and cause structural damage
by gnawing on wood, plaster, and even electrical wires, decide to call
your house their home.
Dealing With an Infestation:
1. Peppermint oil: The powerful odor overwhelms the mouse's sense of
smell, and can be used as an effective deterrent. Stick cotton balls
soaked with peppermint oil in any mouse hole you can find, and see how
the little vermin run for the hills.
2. Sealing entry points: Block any mouse hole you find in the house,
then check under your house/basement for any holes, cracks, nooks, etc.
Once sealed, mice will have a hard time coming back into your home.
3. Steel wool: Stick steel wool in any mouse hole you find. The little
pests will have a hard time chewing through it, which should prompt them
to seek other, more mice-friendly homes.
4. Keep your home clean: The easiest way to
draw the attention of mice is to have food lying around the house. Keep
your home clean and the mice won’t be attracted to it.
5. Dried snake excrement: Yuck! But, snakes are mice natural predators,
and the smell of snake poo is usually enough to scare mice as far away
from your home as possible. You can find them at pet stores and zoos.
6. Traps: There are different kinds of mouse traps that don’t kill or
hurt the little creatures. There are humane smart mousetraps that cost
as little as $14, and only contain the mouse until you let it out
somewhere safe. The only downside is that you have to release the mice
outside your home yourself.
7. Glue traps: These traps are a sheet of paper, covered in glue. You
place a piece of food in the middle and leave them near mouse holes. The
mice will come to check the new, seemingly unattended piece of food and
get stuck in the glue. These traps are not likely to kill the mice, and
you can release them in the wild, far away from your home.
8. Ultrasonic deterrent: There are small ultrasonic devices that plug
into an available socket and produce a noise that mice cannot stand (but
is inaudible for humans). Some people swear by these noisemakers.
9. Kitty litter: Spread a little litter in places you suspect mice might
be using to come in and out of. The smell is a powerful deterrent.
10. Get a cat:While this may seem less humane, it’s natural, and the
smell of the cat will serve to deter any mice from taking residence in
your home, and your new feline friend will make short work of any
uninvited guests.